I am a stay at home mother/farmer to 6 children. We are a blended family and have full custody of 4 and joint custody of 2.
The oldest four are my husbands children from previous marriages. They are aged 16, 14, 12, and 9.
Our two together are aged 6, and 6.
The four that live with us full time are 16, 14, 6, and 6. We plan to homeschool these four starting fall 2013.
They are currently in public school, in grades 9, 1, and K.

Our public school experience has been terrible. Our children are not getting the education they deserve, nor are they benefiting in a social environment.

Aaron the oldest (16) has ADHD and struggles with all aspects of school. He is very behind in learning and we will have to pretty much start back at basics.
Samantha (14) does fairly well in school, but lacks confidence as well as some basic skills. She has struggled to get her grades up, and ends up retaking many tests to just get a passing score.
These two moved in with us in September of last year. They come from a home that was not a healthy environment and are struggling with issues of abandonment from their mother as well as trying to find where they fit in life.

Tyler (6) is in the first grade now. He is autistic. The public school has been a very negative thing for him from the start. He does not thrive in any aspect of school. He is smart, but afraid to show it. He is picked on in school. He does not have confidence to show at school.
Cheyenne (6) has cerebral palsy and is in kindergarten this year. We were told that she is not smart enough to be at school full days (along with not potty trained, and "gets tired" at school).

A combination of each child's issue has made our minds up to homeschool. The children are excited. I am excited, as well as relieved that I will not have to put up with the school district.

So- where do I start? I have the paper work ready to fill out to "register them". I have been researching curriculum. I have been looking up everything I can.
Advice would be greatly appreciated!

Make sure you comply with your laws. Other than that, it is a good idea to read reviews of curriculum before making a decision on what to buy. Also, buy used curriculum if possible so that you aren't spending a lot of money in the beginning before you know for sure what works for your family.

Don't feel like you have to do school the way the public schools do it. Instead, do whatever works for you and your children. Try to instill a love of learning in them. You will have great flexibility with homeschooling. Best wishes!_________________Laura L. Barth
http://www.freehomeschooladvice.com